Make the Medicine Go Down
by MiniBrissy
Summary: While Alex and Skipper argue about oncoming plans for the circus, Private's come down with a fever, being found knocked out by Gloria, and taken to Rico and Kowalski. (Also another older story! Enjoy!)


Make the Medicine Go Down

"Swish!"

Abruptly opening the flap of the tent, Skipper entered followed by Kowalski and Rico by his side and a man with a fluffy head of brown hair behind. The Penguin ringleader stomped a few steps into the room, stopped, and turned his shorter body to face the taller and fluffy-headed man.

"Will you stop following me! We've already booked for the circus to perform tomorrow!" Skipper shouted aggressively.

"Skipper, we can't go on tomorrow! You have to cancel the performance! Postpone it! Tell him, um.. K-Kowalski!" the other man, Alex, argued back.

Kowalski, one of Skipper's younger brothers, had been standing to the side. He took in a breath before and calmly answered back.

"I'm sorry, Alex, but there isn't much we can do…that is unless you wanna lose the money spent to book the performance."

"Why are you so upset about this anyway, Fluffy?" Skipper asked, folding his arms and setting his weight onto one hip.

Alex held a palm of his hand to his forehead and furrowed his brows. Clearly, the two had been at it for a while now, seeing as how the two are quite stubborn.

"Because the crew still needs to practice our new part of the show! It's gonna be great, but it's just not perfect yet and I'm pretty sure people are getting sick of seeing our routine over and over now!"

"Well then, maybe you should go practice instead of telling me that for the hundredth time! Maybe that's why you guys still aren't ready for that performance!" Skipper yelled, obviously done with having to bicker back and forth.

"Gah! Skipper! Why do you have to be so thick headed?! If you'd just listen to me then maybe-" Alex had started, but was interrupted when the much shorter man firmly took hold of his arm and began leading him out of the tent.

"Alright Fluffy, let me see this new set of yours! I'll get you and your crew to practice it and get it perfect before the clock even strikes 12!"

Kowalski and Rico, both sticking their arms out to keep the flap of the tent open, watched as the two moved about their way, furiously arguing. Letting out an angry breath, Kowalski reeled his arm back to his side and walked into the tent. Staring for a few more seconds after Skipper and Alex, Rico followed his older brother into the tent.

" 'Ose 'oo 'een at it all d'ay.." Rico rasped, sitting next to Kowalski on his bed.

"Ah..well, it's more like the damn crack of dawn. It's 9 at night and the two started bickering since they woke up," Kowalski replied, tone full of annoyance. He placed his chin onto his hand, which was rested on his knee and closed his eyes. Rico gave the man some pity, after all, Kowalski had been dragged into Alex and Skipper's argument all day. Thinking there wasn't much for them to do seeing as it was night, Rico crossed his ankle onto his opposing knee and leaned back, resting his back onto the dresser that was at the side of the bed.

Moments passed of silence. The two tried to enjoy the quietest moment they've had all day, but their stress remained to weigh upon their shoulders.

But suddenly

"Hello? ..Penguins?" A voice called from outside of their tent. Rico and Kowalski looked at each other silently.

"Are any of you in there? Rico, Kowalski? It'd be really great if one of you are in there, since I can't take Private to Skipper because he and Alex are too busy going at each other's throats" the voice said, progressively gaining an angrier tone as she spoke.

"Yes, I'm in here! In fact, we both are, Gloria," Kowalski answered, getting up from the bed and rushing over to open the flap. Rico followed, to see what was involving Private.

What they saw was Gloria, a member of the circus crew and friend of theirs, cradling their youngest sibling. The two stared, wide- eyed at the little boy who was seemingly uncomfortably sleeping or passed out and then looked up to see Gloria's face.

"W'ahs wong wih him?" Rico asked, trying his best to be clearly heard and understood. He gently moved his gloved hand to the boy's head, slowly stroking his hair.

Frantically, Gloria explained "I don't know, dear, I just found him lying on the ground near the practice tents. I- I tried to wake him up but the best I got was that he opened his eyes for a few seconds but he wouldn't focus and then he just went back to sleep and-"

"Gloria, Gloria, calm down. I'm sure he might just be ill. Here, let me see?" Kowalski said, carefully placing his arms under Private.

Moving Private over onto one arm, Kowalski placed his other hand on Private's forehead. Even to the gentlest touch, Private seems to have felt the icy touch, eyes shutting tighter.

Kowalski winced at the hot touch Private's body radiated. The tall man stroked Private's hair away from his eyes and looked back up at Gloria.

"It's alright, Gloria. We can handle it from here, thank you so much for finding and bringing Private to us," Kowalski spoke.

"Are you sure? If you need anything, you can always ask me," Gloria replied back, taking a few steps backwards before waving and turning around to walk forward.

Carrying Private close to his chest, Kowalski made his way back to his bed. Rico followed into the tent, but went off to search for a pail or bowl of some sort and a rag. Grunting at Kowalski and gaining eye contact, he directed Kowalski's eyes to the bucket in his lap. As if reading what Rico was thinking, Kowalski nodded for Rico to leave.

Once alone with Private, Kowalski pulled out Private's normal attire for sleep.

"An oversized shirt, Skipper's old shorts.." Kowalski murmured under his breath as if making a check list. Once he had everything, he change Private into the more comfortable set of clothes. After setting aside the clothes Private had just been changed out of, Kowalski moved Private into his bed and tucked him in.

Looking at Private, he took note that the small boy had been breathing through his mouth, uneasily and shivered slightly. Thinking quick, Kowalski climbed up onto the upper bunk, Kowalski grabbed Private's bed's pillow and blanket. He placed the second pillow atop the pillow Private was using to elevate his head and then tucked him in with the second blanket.

Looking up, away from Private, Kowalski thought. He searched the chest for a thermometer and quickly sterilized it. Tenderly, Kowalski opened Private's mouth and placed in the thermometer and turned it on. Yawning, Kowalski clicked the earpiece in his ear and enabled for the time to appear on the eye piece that it connected to.

"9:45 pm.." Kowalski pondered at the thoughts beginning to cloud his mind.

"Would Private be alright to travel tomorrow? Skipper will not like having to cancel the show tomorrow, but what do I do? What can I do?"

His thoughts were cut off by the sound of the tent opening, Rico entering with a small bucket filled with water and a rag hanging out. The younger man looked at him, eying Kowalski with a concerned look.

Rico made his way towards Kowalski and kneeled down. Taking the rag out of the cold water, Rico wrung out the excess water and carefully placed it on Private's forehead. A few seconds later, the thermometer gave a light beep.

Rico watched as Kowalski removed the slim stick out of Private's mouth and stare blankly at it. The man gave a huff and placed the thermometer down on the bed.

"102.8, Rico.. Sounds pretty bad.." Kowalski said foggily, seeping back into his thoughts.

After a few seconds of staring at the ground quietly, Kowalski stood up and made his way to the chest once again. He opened it and began taking contents out of it. Medical supplies of all sorts came out. Different thermometers, patches, bandages.. Rico turned away when he heard shuffling and shifting. Resting his hand onto the rag on Private's forehead, Rico watched his baby brother slowly and painfully open his big blue eyes. Patiently, Rico gently caressed the young boy's head and waited until Private could focus and get used to the blunt lighting present in the room. A moment later, Private was able to maintain his eyes to keep on Rico's sheepishly smiling face.

"'ee.. 'Ico.. ?" the boy hoarsely asked. Before Rico could say anything, however, Private began coughing up a lung uncontrollably. The two older brothers cringed at the wet hacks, and the moment the little boy tried sitting up, Rico frantically tried to keep him down in the gentlest way he could manage. Once the hacking seized, Private began making little noises. Whimpers, sniffles, oh that boy was not doing too well.

Hurriedly, Kowalski made his way over to the two again and knelt down. Private looked up at the new person in front of him and identified him. Pulling his arms out from under the two blankets, he began to try to grab at the soggy and no longer cold towelette on his forehead. Whining before he could grab it, Rico had taken it himself and cooled it down again with the bucket of water.

"K'walski..'Ico, w-where am I? What's h'ppening?" Private asked innocently once the cold towelette was replaced onto his forehead.

"Seems you're running a bad fever, Private."

Private was about to ask more questions, but his throat threatened to burn and cause another hacking attack if he did. Defeated that he didn't want to speak too much and was too exhausted to get up, Private snuggled into a small slot he nuzzled into and watched Kowalski read bottles. Occasionally he would switch over to look at Rico who would give him such awkward yet caring smiles and would sometimes mumble worriedly to himself.

Finally, Kowalski stopped reading bottles and opened one. Lifting a spoon to the bottle's opening, he carefully filled the spoon with the thick red liquid. Private gave a weak whimper upon realizing what it was. Kowalski gave him a soft glare when he heard the boy make such a noise.

"Private," he warned. "Don't play that game with me.."

Kowalski began to move the spoon to Private's mouth, but as expected, the little bugger brought the blankets up to cover half his face and he gave the two the biggest, cutest sad eyes he could make.

Cringing and trying to resist, Kowalski warned again, "Private. No. Knock it off, kid."

Private kept his position.

Obtaining eye contact with Kowalski, the two nodded and Rico grabbed Private's arms that held the blanket up. With just the right pressure, Rico moved Private's arms to his lap and held them there. Kowalski attempted once again to move the spoon to Private's mouth.

"Mm!" Private let out, holding his mouth shut and turning his head away. Kowalski gave him a disappointing look.

"Private! Stop it and cooperate with us! I know you don't like this medicine but if you don't take it, you'll never get better!" Kowalski ranted.

Private stared at him with his most adorable angry eyes and gave a resisting groan. In turn, Kowalski gave an angry hum. After a few seconds, Private sniffled and took in a breath. He turned his head and opened his mouth, took in the disgusting medicine, and swallowed it quickly. Happily, Kowalski handed him an opened small bottle of water. Private began to chug it down, but before even taking in half the bottle's contents, he began coughing again. Trying to calm the coughs, Rico rubbed Private's back soothingly.

After doing all they could to help Private, all that was left was to let him get some rest. But Kowalski remembered that they were to begin traveling early in the morning the next day and seeing it was already half past ten, he knew this wouldn't work out. He looked at the boy, who was now laying on the pillows, eyes fluttering open every time they closed for too long.

"Private. Do you..do you think you'll be able to manage tomorrow? Skipper's already said that the circus's performance won't be canceled. I know you're really sick right now, but if you can't manage tomorrow, just tell me so I can try to figure something out during the night"

Private looked at him, then at Rico. True, he was not feeling too queasy, but the last thing he wanted to do was cause Kowalski or Rico any more trouble.

"I think I-I'll be okay. I'll be okay to travel tomorrow-"

"Oh, we are not going anywhere tomorrow, boys," a new voice entered. The three turned their heads to the entrance of the tent to see Skipper standing there, arms folded, and Alex peeking in from the flap next to him.

"Skipper! W-why are we not going anywhere tomorrow?" Kowalski asked, trying to keep away from raising his brother's previous stress and anger any further.

"What? Are you trying to keep me from knowing one of my boys is sick? I thought you were better than that, Walski!" Skipper said.

"No, it's not like that! I would have only kept it away from you because you're already so set on the circus going to the performance tomorrow. I mean, you-"

"Kowalski, soldier, how could you even think I would not place my baby brothers' health as first priority? I'm canceling that performance and that is final," Skipper mocked.

"B-But what about the money that you cared so much about that went into that booking?" Kowalski questioned.

"Doesn't matter anymore. Besides, the crew's new routine will be a new hit once they're ready!" Skipper chimed, placing an arm across Alex's shoulders.

"S-Sir.. How did you even find out that Private was sick?" Kowalski asked, finally accepting that by some miracle, Skipper the big grump had magically allowed for the performance to be cancelled.

Skipper gave a laugh and said "Are you kidding? Fluffy and I could hear that cough a mile away!"

Kowalski gave a very annoyed groan as he pressed the palm of his hand onto his forehead.

Clapping his hands together, Skipper said "All right boys! Lights out!"

But before Skipper moved to change out of his clothes, he narrowed his eyes and smirked at Private.

"Oh, and Private. What did I tell you about using your cute against us, young man?"


End file.
